The present invention relates to a connector housing unit for an electrical connector in which a threaded portion of a fastener for fastening together the connector housings of the unit is not damaged by prying the connector housings relative to each other while the housings remain tentatively fastened to each other.
FIG. 4 shows a conventional connector housing unit having a threaded fastener comprising an outer connector housing 1, an inner connector housing 2, a bolt 3 and a nut 5. A plurality of male terminal metals or prongs 4 are fitted in the outer connector housing 1. The outer connector housing 1 has a cylindrical portion 1a surrounding the male terminal metals 4. A through-hole 1c is provided in the central portion of the outer connector housing 1 and extends in the direction of mutual fitting of the outer and the inner connector housings 1 and 2. The bolt 3 is inserted in the through-hole 1c. The bolt 3 includes a flange 3b on the head 3a of the bolt, a thin portion 3c', which is located inside the inner end of the through-hole 1c, and a threaded portion 3d extending from the thin portion to the tip of the bolt. A stopper 3e such as a snap ring is fitted on the thin portion 3c'. The flange 3b and the stopper 3e prevent the bolt 3 from moving in the axial direction thereof. The inner connector housing 2 has a through-hole 2c in the central portion of the housing. The nut 5 is secured within the through-hole 2c. When the inner connector housing 2 is manufactured by injection molding, the nut 5 is embedded in the material of the housing so that the nut is secured therein. When the outer and the inner connector housings 1 and 2 are to be fastened to each other, the inner connector housing is inserted into the cylindrical portion 1a of the outer connector housing, and the tip of the bolt 3 is placed into contact with the nut 5 so that the housings are tentatively fastened to each other. The bolt 3 is thereafter turned to be threadedly engaged into the nut 5 to fully fasten the connector housings 1 and 2 to each other by the screwing force on the bolt and the nut. Since the bolt 3 is prevented from moving in the axial direction thereof, the outer and inner connector housings 1 and 2 can be easily pried relative to each other in the directions B, as shown in FIG. 4, when the housings are tentatively fastened to each other. Therefore, a problem exists in that the screw thread of the bolt or the nut 5 is likely to be damaged by the prying.